Buttering machine



July 11, 1944. A. w. KIEHN BUTTERING- MACHINE Original Fil ed June 26, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet l 423/ 021 W Kzekrv '9 my V M W Allan/gig;

. July 11, 1944. A. w. KIEHN I 'BUTIERING MACHINE Original Filed June 26, 1941 '6 Sheets-Sheet 2 I B) I fi Attorneys July 11, 1944. A. w. KIEHN BUTTERING MACHINE Original Filed June 26, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 11, 1944.

A. 'w. KIEHN BUTTERING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 All] K? I T Inventor a Q /4rZ71/zor "(h O Mtorney;

' July 11; 1944. A. w. K EHN 2,353,474

line l- 'l of Figure 4.

Patented July 11, 1944 Arthur William Kiehn, Elizabeth, N. J.

Original application June 26, 1941, Serial No.

6 Claims.

This is a divisional application of my copending application Serial No. 399,907, filed June 26, 1941.

The present invention relates to new anduseful improvements in buttering machines adapted for buttering tile, mosaics, ceramics, marble, glass, etc., preparatory to application thereof to a trued scratch coat of a wall, ceiling, or floor of a building.

An important object of the present invention is the .provision of novel means for feeding tile, or the like, one at a time from a rack and to advance the same through the machine for applying a cement binder thereto, and then to evenly apply mortar under pressure to a desired thickness and to deliver said tile ready for manual application on a trued scratch coat in the usual tion, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating a buttering machine constructed in accordance with my invention. I Figure 2 is a top plan view illustrating the machine.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the means of removing tile or the like one at a time from a rack and advancing the tile to have applied thereto a cement binder and mortar.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the means of applying mortar to the-tile and evenly distributing the mortar on said tile. 1

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view taken on the Figure 81s a detail sectional view taken on the line 8 8 of Figure 2.

FigurelO is an exploded perspective view illustrating the various members which go to make Divided and this application June 1942, Serial No. 449,157

up the adjustable tile supporting means as well as the conveyor supporting means.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatical view showing the first step taken by the dogs of the conveyor in removing a tile from the rack.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the dog tripping springs being compressed by a pair of dogs as in Figure 11, so that the latter may assume an operative position of pushing the tile from the rack.

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 11 showing the tile removed from the rack and about to pass from under a second tile.

Figure 14 is a plan view of the back end of Figure 13. V

Figure 15 is a view similar to Figures 11 and '13 showing the following tile leaving the rack with the preceding tile still being shoved forward meral 5 indicates a bed of a machine and has mounted thereon end plates 6 of angle iron construction. Also mounted on the bed adjacent the end plates 6 are bearing blocks 1 which rotatably support feed stems 8 each having right and left-hand feed threads and an operating handle 9.

The feed stems .8, beside being rotatably supported by the bearing blocks, are helil against endwise movement as illustrated at 0.

Side-supporting plates II are arranged between the end plates 6 above the bed and are provided with-feed thread openings meshing with the feed threads of the feed stems whereby said side plates may be adjusted toward and from each other for the purpose of supporting tile or the like of different widths. The side plates H are of angle iron construction providing vertical and horizontal portions, as clearly shown in Figure 5. The horizontal parts slide on the tops of the end members 6, but thevertical parts are shorter and move )betWeen the end members 6 during adjustment of the members ll.

A double hopper construction I! is supported on the bed by brackets or legs I8 detachably secured to the bed. The double hopper construction is arranged over the forward portion of the machine and a tile rack is located rearwardly of the hopper construction. Guide members I2 are connected with the horizontal portions of the side plates II and extend from the rear end of the double hopper construction to the front end of the machine and each member I2 is provided with a cushion facing strip I3. Mounted on these guide members I2 are the guide strips I4 of a width slightly greater than the width of the guide members I2 and these strips I4 are provided with cushioned facing strips I5 which are adapted to contact the top faces of the tiles as they are moved from the rack to the front end of the machine while the strips I3 engage opposite edges of the tile. Facing strips l6 cover the guide strips I4 and the strips I5 thereof and are suitably secured to the guide strips I4.

The tile rack is composed of the spaced side plates I9 and the plates 20. The spaced plates I9 are fixed on the hopper construction and are connected by a forwardly and downwardly inclined wall 2|. The plates are adjustably mounted on the members II for adjustment longitudinally thereof or toward and from the plates I9 and have formed on their opposed faces downwardly and forwardly inclined flanges 22 on which the tiles rest while in the rack, that is one end of each tile is in engagement with the flanges while the opposite ends of the tiles are in engagement with the wall 2| of the plates I9 thereby arranging the tiles in stepped formation within the rack. The tiles thus arranged in the rack will have most of the weight thereof borne by the plates 23, while the plates I9 act to prevent the'tiles from moving forwardly and tipping upwardly by the weight of other tiles thereon. The plates 20 are provided with comparatively short vertically arranged edges 22' into which the lower ends of the flanges merge. The wall 2| is provided with a comparatively short vertical portion 23.

When a tile engages with the edges 22' and the portion '23, it may then drop vertically. The plates 26 being adjustable on the machine longitudinally is for the purpose of accommodating tiles of different sizes in conjunction with the plate 2I.

A tile-supporting unit 24 is arranged between the side plates II and is capable of Vertical adjustment. The supporting unit 24 also supports a tile feed mechanism 25. The unit 24 includes a lower adjusting plate 26' arranged between the side plates I I and the end plates 6 of the machine and'iscapable of having a limited endwise move- :ment through the operation of a feed shaft 21 journaled in one of the end plates and engaging "one end of'said plate 26. The plate 26 is provided at its ends with transversely arranged ribs 29 and 33. The rib 29 is engaged by the shaft 21, while rib 33 'stiffens the rear end of the plate. The plate 26 is further provided with slots 3I and 32. The purpose of the slot 3| is to permit the endless conveyor-to extend therethrough, which also applies to the'slot 32. Notches 28 in ends of the plate 26 receivethe bearing blocks 1 to prevent lateral movement of the plate.

Formed 'on the edges of the plate 26 are upstanding lugs 33 having sloping or cam faces 34.

Anupper adjusting plate 35 is provided with depending lugs 36 having cam faces 31. The cam faces 31 of the lugs 36 engage with the cam faces of the lugs 33 and when the plate 26 is adjusted endwisein direction itxWill causean upward movement of the plate 35 and an adjustment of the plate 26 endwise in an opposite direction will permit lowering of the plate 35. The plate 35 is also provided with a conveyor slot 38.

The ends of the plate 35 have sliding contact with the inner faces of the end members 6 so that the plate 35 can be moved upwardly and downwardly by movement of the plate 26 but cannot move longitudinally.

As shown more clearly in Figures 9 and 10, a pair of spaced plates 43 is connected to the underface of the plate 35 and a pair of narrow, spaced plates 42 are connected with the underside of the plates 43. Wider spaced plates M are connected with the underfaces of the plates 42 while flanges 39 of bars 39 are connected with the underside of the plates M, the various plates being connected together by welding or in any other suitable manner. Thus the plates 43, 42 and M and the members 39 and 39' will move vertically with the plates 35 and the bars 39 will extend into the narrow parts of the slots 3I and 32 as the member 35 with the parts attached thereto is lowered. I 7

As will be seen from Figure 3, the various plates carried by the plate 35 are of less length than the plates 26 and 35 and the bars 39' have perforations in their ends and are spaced apart and the perforations receiving the trunnions of the front and rear idler sprockets 46, which are raised or lowered during adjustment of the adjusting plate 26. The forward ends of the plates 43 have slots 44 therein with springs 45 extending over the slots. The sprocket chain of the feed mechanism 25 is indicated by the character 46 and is trained over the idler sprockets 46 and a drive sprocket 41 secured on a shaft 48 journaled in center bearings 49 located forwardly on the tile rack and under the double hopper construction. The shaft 48 has its main bearings sliding in the side plates I I and one end of the shaft is extended and has secured thereto a crank handle 56 for the manual rotation thereof. However, a power means may be connected to the shaft 48 in lieu of the hand crank.

Pairs of dogs 5I are pivotally connected to the sprocket chain and move therewith and each dog. includes a tapered end portion 52 and an enlarged end portion 53 having a rounded edge 54 and an angular edge 55.

The sprocket chain has formed on the links thereof in front of and in rear of the links carrying the dogs pairs of outwardly extending ears 56 which are adapted to travel between the chain supporting plates 4| and the dog supporting plates 43 to prevent the upper run of the sprocket chain from buckling under load.

A pair of rails 58 are carried by the upped face of the plate 35 extending from one end. of the plate to the other and each rail has a cushioning strip 58 therein, these rails receiving the tiles as they move downwardly out of the rack while the cushioning strips protect the tile from chipping and the tiles are moved along these rails by the dogs 5I and after they pass under the double hopper I1 the tiles will be engaged by the resilient members I3 and I5 as shown in Figure 6.

As the endless chain moves up over the rear sprocket 40 the peculiar shape of the dogs will cause them to engage the supporting plates 43 with the dogs in pushing position as shown by the last dog to the left in Figure 11. Also the ears 56 extending between the plates M and 43 will prevent any buckling movement of the chain .with the inclined faces.

as non-fouling springs. stated, these springs will be depressed by the pair when the dogs. engage a tile which .tends to cause the front or upper ends of the dogs to move upwardly and rearwardly, thus causing the .chain to buckle. However, the ears 56 will prevent this buckling of the chain as before described. Also any tendency of the dogs to rotate anti-clockwise on their pivots by the resistance offered by the tile is prevented by the lower part of the dogs engaging the plates 43. Thus the movement of the dogs by the chain will cause the dogs to move a tile from the bottom of the rack forwardly as shown in the diagrammatic views.

The bottom tile rests upon the rails 58 and is moved forwardly over the rails by that pair of dogs which is engaging the rear end thereof. The

dogs under the tile are moved to inoperative position by the weight of the tile so that they do not engage the plates 43.

The intersection of the vertical walls 22 of the plates 20 with the inclined faces 22 will be at a point slightly below the bottom face of the second tile in the rack so that the inclined faces will continue to support the second tile, with the assistance of the resistance of the forward movement of the tile by the wall 23 and resisting the downward movement of the second tile by the bottom tile. The vertical support by the bottom tile continues until the back edge of the bottom or first tile passes beyond the front edge of the second tile. When this happens the front edge of the second tile drops upon the rails or guides 58 and then resistance to forward movement of the second tile by the wall 23 is removed and the back edge of the tile then moves along the inclined faces 22 and drops to the guides 58 at the intersection of the vertical faces 22' This drop imparts a slight shock to the tiles in the rack which helps to cause them to settle to normal position. This shock is necessary because, if the inclined faces 22 continued until they met the horizontal plane of top of parts 58, there would be a tendency of the back edges of the tiles to remain partly up the inclines 22. However, this would occur mostly when the rack is nearly empty and presi sure along the inclined faces was reduced.

That pair of dogs engaging the rear end of a tile will continue to push the tile along the guides 58 until the dogs reach the slots 44 in the plates 43. When the dogs reach these slots the resistance offered by the plates 43 to p-ivotal movement in an anti-clockwise direction of the dogs is removed. and thus the dogs moved downwardly and disengage the tile so that the tile comes to rest. However, the rear slotted ends of the plates 43 are constructed to extend a suflicient distance so that the forward pair of ears 56 will continue to resist buckling action until the dogs have become inactive after pivoting at the slots. The springs 45 are heavy enough to tip inactive dogs which are held in inactive position by the weight of a tile and the springs are light enough to be depressed readily by the dogs pushing upon them. These springs 45 prevent the pair of inactive dogs nearest the front edge of the second tile from passing under such edge and resuming normal pushing position which will cause such dogs to run afoul of the tiles. Thus these springs 45 hold such pair of dogs in inactive position so that the springs act However, as before the set screws 56; on the unit 24 slightly in rear of the tile rack and this clip carries a pair of springs 51 which has straight outer portions but converging inner portions. The straight portions are normally spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing of each pair of dogs so that these straight portions will engage the upper ends of a pair of dogs but when a pair of dogs approach the constricted inner parts of the springs, with the dogs in raised position, the said dogs will engage the constricted parts and thus move the straight parts inwardly so that these straight parts will not be engaged by the last-mentioned dogs. This position of the springs is shown in Figure 12.

As will be seen, the tiles are pushed through the machine by the dogs until a pair of dogs passes through the slots 44, after which the tile comes to rest until pushed forward again by the next tile being moved by another pair of dogs. In turning out of pushing position, the upper parts of the dogs rotate in a direction opposite to the travel of the tile and this makes it necessary to maintain sufficient clearance between tiles to prevent fouling of dogs between the tiles. As clearance between dogs remains constant and tile lengths vary, there will be cases where, as a new tile drops into position, the next pusher dogs may start pushing the tile too soon to maintain the clearance needed. This condition is taken care of by the springs 51. In normal position these springs clear the tops of the dogs before a tile drops upon the guides 58. As a tiledrops, it renders the dogs within its length as well as that pair of dogs which are under the straight parts of the springs 51, inoperative by tipping downwardly the front ends of the dogs. However, the next pair of dogs will press the springs 51 together so that the springs will not interfere with the next pair of dogs and thus this pairwill engage the rear end of the tile and push it forwardly.

Figure 11 shows the dogs P starting to push tile a with the dogs 0 and N depressed by the tile and dogs M tipped forwardly by the non-fouling springs 45. Figure 12 shows how the dogs P can move the springs 51 into inoperated position so that said dogs can engage the rear end of the tile a. Figure 13 shows the tile a in motion with the springs 51 in normal position and Figure 14 is a plan view of the rear end of Figure 13.

Figure 15 shows the dogs P still pushing tile a after tile b has dropped into place, depressing dogs Q and R and the springs 51 have depressed dogs S as these dogs are under the straight portions of the springs as shown in Figure 18.

Figure 17 shows the different positions of the dogs P as they pass through the slots 44 so that the tile a will come to rest. The three pairs of the following dogs are in inactive position while the pair of dogs X are about to engage the springs 51 to move them into inoperated position so that these dogs X will engage the tile b.

Arcuately curved guide members 6| are located on the forward and rearward portions of the machine adjacent the end of the unit 25 or the rear sprocket 40 and the drive sprocket 41. The purpose of the arcuately curved guide members BI is to prevent the dogs from fouling on ears 56 as they pass about the drive sprocket 41 and the rear idler sprocket 40.

The double hopper construction I! includes chambers A and B provided with flared mouths 62 to permit cement to be readily poured into the chamber A and mortar into the chamber B. A partition 63 separates the chambers A and B and is spaced a limited distance above the top face of a tile when the latter moves under the double hopper construction and carries a wiper strip 64 provided with a series of notches 655 through which'cement may pass with the tile on its forward movement forming the cement into ribs and with a very thin coating of the cement over the entire top face of the tile. The opposite wall of the chamber A from the partition 63 is designated by the character 66 and carries a sealing strip 67 to prevent the cement from passing from the chamber A under the partition 66 toward the tile rack.

It is to be understood that the strip 64 has a wiping contact with the top face of the tile so that as the tile advances a very thin layer of cement will be left on the top face with ribs of cement spaced a selected distance from each other on said top face of the tile.

Mounted-on the side walls 63 of the chamber B is-a liner 39 including spaced semi-cylindrical portions "it in which spiral type conveyors Til operate. The liner closes a portion of the bottom of the chamber and toward the forward end of the chamber the latter is open to provide a discharge for mortar fed forwardly in the chamber by :the spiral conveyors onto the tile or the cement thereof, as said tile advances on the machine. The spiral conveyors are of the open type and are only supported at one en'd by being provided with sleeves 12 connected to shafts 73 by a pin and slot connection, the back pressure of the mortar acting on the spiral conveyors H to hold them on the shafts.

The shafts are rotatably mounted in the double hopper construction and extend into a chamber C arranged between the chambers A and B and are connected to each other by gearing it and one of the shafts isconnected to a shaft i by gears 16. The shaft 75 is chain connected to the shaft 43 so that the spiral conveyors will be driven from the crank handle in opposite directions to each other.

A guard H is arranged in the chamber B and includes semi-circular portions overlying the L discharge slot of the chamber B and the free ends of the spiral conveyors. The purpose of the guard Ti is to coact with the forward wall of the chamber B in causing the mortar fed forward by the conveyors to be directed downwardly through the discharge opening onto the tile. The forward wall of the chamber B has a slot in which operates a roller '18 journalled on the hopper construction to contact the'mortar and evenly distribute the mortar over the top face of the tile as the latter is advanced and to a desired thickness. The roller 13 includes a shaft '59 belted to the shaft 48 and the roller i8 is rotated in a reverse direction to the forward travel of the tile. The shaft 15' is connected to the shaft is by sprocket gears and a sprocket chain 85: so as to provide a positive drive for the conveyors from the crank handle.

It will be seen that as the tile leaves from under the rollers '88, it has first had ribs of cement applied thereto and then motor which is spread evenly to a desired thickness on the tile throughout one face thereof so that the tile is ready to be manually tapped intoplace on a trued scratch coat which has been prepared or applied to a wall, ceiling or floor of a building.

While the specific construction of this machine as well as its operation has been'set forth, the

specific advantages for the use of this machine will now be given and are as follows:

The advantages of this machine can be most readily pointed out by a description of the present method of setting tile. Most Wall and ceiling tile work is installed with cement or mortar on a roughened cement mortar background called a scratch coat .by either the buttering or floating method.

In the buttering method the setting bed is applied to individual tiles and then tamped into place. In'the floating method, the setting bed is applied to the scratch coat and while this is still soft, a thin coating of neat cement is applied to the tiles, which are then tamped into place.

With the buttering method, the tendency is to use abed of excessive thickness to compensate for irregularities in scratch coat. In addition to this excessive thickness, the setting bed rarely is continuous behind all edges and corners of the tile. As cement mortar shrinks toward the center of the mass, these unconnected patties of mortar develop a convexity which causes loose tile and often .the setting bed has a poor knit on scratch coat. Even when this method is used by capable and conscientious mechanics providing a full buttered setting bed with no voids behind the tile, knit. failures are possible. These failures are'possible because many tiles are vitreous or of low porosity while most all tiles, even though of high porosity, have a die'sheen to which cement mortar does not knit. readily without a neat cement coating which is'alrnost never used in this method. When the tiles do get a good knit to setting bed with this method, the tendency toward convexity of incomplete backing or the uneven shrinkage of full backing of irregular thickness sets up internal stresses in tiles which often result in damaging or cracking of the glazed face of the tile.

The floating method is, theoretically, the better method, It requires, however, control of a number of factors which are seldom obtained consistently on any job. Control of plasticity and therefore workability'of mortar is always a problem. Under conditions of high temperature and low humidity the thin areas of setting bed, due to irregularities in scratch coat, become stiff through dehydration. Under opposite conditions of cold and high humidity, there is the problem of sagging setting bed at the thicker areas. These conditions are aggravated in ceiling work. Timing is an important factor. Floating an area small enough to set tile in time to take advantage of maximum workability of setting bed may make floating adjoining areas impractical or at least inconvenient. This makes for a tendency to float greater areas than can be followed with tile in time to dogood work.

Obviously, an ideal method would be one where part of the setting bed was used as a straightening or leveling coat with no time element involvedother than letting it go beyond the initial set stage. This is to be followed by a means for applying to tile a. neat cement coating and the the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention what I claim is:

1. In a tile treating apparatus, a horizontally arranged frame, horizontally arranged guide means on the frame, a hopper supported on the frame above the guide means, means associated with the hopper for holding the tiles in stepped relation with the lowermost tile in a forward position, an endless conveyor supported in the frame and including pivoted dogs, the dogs engaging the tiles and moving them along the guide means, and tiles dropping from said tileholding means after the lowermost tile has been moved beyond the rack, means for causing the dogs to move the tiles with the tiles spaced part, means for preventing the dogs engaging a tile from interfering with other tiles and means for preventing buckling of the conveying means under the strain of the dogs engaging the tiles.

2. In a tile buttering machine, a bed, horizontally arranged tile supporting guides including cushioned spacing strips to engage opposite edges and top faces of tile, a unit on said bed between the supporting guides and coacting with said guides in the support of tile by engaging the underfaces thereof and including cushioned tracks, an adjustable tile rack on said bed for supporting stacked tile in stepped relation at one end of the bed over said guides in the unit, and an endless conveyor mechanism carried by said unit for removing tile one at a time from the rack and advancing the tiles over said unit and the guides.

3. In a tile buttering machine, a bed, horizontally arranged tile supporting guides on said bed and adjustable toward and from each other, means for adjusting said guides, a unit on said bed between the guides and coacting therewith in the support of tile by engaging the underfaces thereof, said unit including cushioned tracks,

cushioned strips for said guides and engaging opposite edges and top faces of the tile, a tile rack on said bed for supporting stacked tile in stepped formation at one end of the bed over said guides and unit, an endless sprocket chain carried by said unit, means for driving said sprocket chain, pairs of dogs pivoted on said sprocket chain to move the tiles through the machine, means for causing certain of the dogs to assume inoperative positions, and means for causing certain dogs to assume operative positions of pushing the tile from the rack.

4. In a tile buttering machine, a bed, horizontal guides on said bed for engaging opposite edges and top faces of tiles, means for adjusting said guides toward and from each other, a unit on said bed and engageable with the underfaces of the tiles and coacting with the guides in the support of tiles for sliding movement, an adjustable tile rack on said bed for supporting stacked tiles in stepped relation and at one end of the bed over said guides and unit, an endless feed chain carried by said unit, means for driving said chain, pairs of dogs pivoted on said chain, means for causing certain pairs of dogs to assume inoperative positions, and certain pairs of dogs to assume tile-pushing positions to engage rear edges of the lowermost tiles of the rack and advance said tiles through the machine.

5. In a tile buttering machine, a bed, horizontal guides on said bed and including cushioned members for engaging opposite edges and top faces of the tiles, means for adjusting said guides toward and from each other, a unit on said bed and including cushioned members engageable with the underfaces of the tiles and coacting with the guides in the support of tiles for sliding movement, an adjustable tile rack on said bed for supporting stacked tiles in stepped relation and at one end of the bed over said guides and the unit, an endless feed chain carried by said unit, means for driving said chain, and pairs of dogs pivoted on said chain for imparting movement to the tiles.

6. In a tile buttering machine, a bed, tile supporting means on the bed, a unit cooperative with said means in the support of tile for sliding movement in a horizontal plane, an adjustable rack on said bed over said first means for the support of tiles in stacked and stepped relation, said unit including dog guides, idler sprockets carried by said unit, a drive sprocket carried by said bed, an endless chain trained over said sprockets, pairs of dogs pivoted on said chain, ears on said chain and engaging with the guides of said unit, means for causing certain of said dogs to assume inoperative positions and certain dogs to assume tileshoving positions, and means carried by said unit to cause the latter named dogs to pivot away from the tiles after a predetermined movement of the tiles over the guide means.

ARTHUR WILLIAM KIEHN. 

